Hairstyles and Bets
by Athena
Summary: Alternate universe: A day in the life of Lord Gaius Maxwell and the Four Great Spirits. Hairstyling is a very important form of expression for the Great Spirits.


_Notes: _This idea began as a premise for a fractured dimension in Tales of Xillia 2. For the sake of the story, this is treated as an AU where Gaius was the Lord of Spirits and the Chimeriad were the Four (and, by extension, Milla is the King of Auj Oule and the Four are the Chimeriad). Despite the role swap, there's still personality differences to consider...

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><p><strong>"Hairstyles and Bets"<strong>

Having spent the majority of their lives in service to Maxwell, the Four kept watch over their respective domains whenever they could, maintaining the thriving state of the little paradise known as Rieze Maxia. While they were occasionally summoned by humans and celebrated for making their appearances, the passage of years—decades, centuries—left them only taking short glances at humanity's cultures and ways of life.

Then they were called into the service of the young Lord of Spirits.

Though they were all aware of the truth of their service, they were charmed by the young Lord of Spirits and doted on him as much as they followed his will. He was a very serious and deliberate soul, but not without curiosity; when he was not climbing the Hallowmont or meditating, he was reading about humans and their cultures and aesthetics.

And when he wasn't doing any of those things, he was talking to the Four Great Spirits under his command. Or watching them squabble amongst themselves.

"It's _my_ turn to style Gaius' hair!"

Undine sighed and drifted back slightly as Efreet emanated a little more heat in her irritation. Hairstyling for Gaius' trips to Nia Khera were a point of contention in the little shrine, as three of the Four Great Spirits all prided themselves as mildly "creative"—and it certainly didn't help that no one had a bad word to say about Lord Maxwell, let alone his choice of hairstyle for the day.

"I'm absolutely sure that it's my turn." Sylph was not impressed by the younger Great Spirit's grumbling, his arms crossed as he calmly stated his claim.

"Shut it, blowhard. You just did his hair _yesterday._"

"And that was because Gnome deferred his turn to me." Sylph glanced up at Gnome, who looked down upon the three with clear amusement. "That doesn't change the fact that today is _my_ day."

"You're both wrong, but I can't say I'm surprised by that," drawled Undine, a bored expression in place as she glided closer to where Gaius had looked up from his newest book. "We've had so many skipped days and reversals that the real order's probably been lost to the nether."

"Probably, says the salty hag." Efreet leveled a skeptical glare at the taller spirit. "Let me guess: the "real" order dictates that it's _your_ turn, right?"

"Naturally." Undine tossed back her long, ocean blue hair with a haughty swing of her hips, floating down to begin skimming her fingers through Gaius' dark hair to give it a cerulean sheen.

Efreet and Sylph barely had to look at each other before they loudly made their own declarations.

"Like hellfire! You're lying!"

"We're drawing up a new order immediately."

Gaius cleared his throat, stilling Undine's attempts to do his hair. "Do you all agree that Gnome's turn occurred yesterday?" He had honestly lost count of how many days he had spent meditating, as he hadn't been consistent in asking Ivar what day it was when he would show up to clean the shrine.

There were nods from the Four, none of them reluctant. Now that Gaius had entered the fray, they knew he had an idea in mind.

"I would like to try this human concept of 'gambling.'" He lifted the book he was reading, turning it to show an illustration to the three spirits who were drifting closer. "Gnome, produce a coin like they have shown here."

Gnome raised a brow, but brought his hands together to form earth and ore between his large palms. "A coin, Gaius?"

"Yes." Gaius turned the book around again to summarize the page he had read last. "Flipping a coin is supposed to be the simplest form of gambling, as you are choosing between two options."

"But there are four options," Undine quickly protested.

"Ah." There was a beat of silence from Gaius, and then: "Gnome, produce two coins."

"No, no." Sylph shot Undine a look for trying to steer the situation in her favor. "If we're maintaining the real order at all, the only options are myself or Efreet."

"You just said that we were drawing up a new order immediately," Undine argued, throwing Sylph's words back in his face.

"You were _lying._"

"And whose fault is it when you immediately fall for it?"

Sylph's hair began to rise and pale as he grew embarrassed and annoyed, but Gaius interrupted them by clearing his throat again. "We will keep the old order. Undine, you will have your turn the day after no matter which way the coin decides."

Undine sighed but acquiesced, removing the sheen from Gaius' hair as he stood up to take one of the two coins Gnome had made. Holding his book in one hand and the coin in the other, he quickly read the rest of the piece before summarizing what had to be done next. "There is to be no cheating. If it lands on the side with the chimera, the day goes to Sylph. If it doesn't, the day goes to Efreet. Agreed?"

Efreet cackled with excitement, nodding vigorously at this new concept. Sylph looked displeased with how everything was being drawn out, but waved a hand to indicate his own agreement.

Without further ado, Gaius tossed the coin into the air.

And that was why, when Ivar arrived at the shrine to accompany the Lord of Spirits on his journey to the village, he was greeted by the sight of Gaius Maxwell with his hair on fire.

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><p><em>Notes<em>

What was Alvin's saying again? "If you're just goofing around, don't gamble. If you wanna gamble, don't goof around"?


End file.
